Amazon’s long-anticipated television adaptation of Fourth Wing is moving forward with a new creative lead: Meredith Averill has been named showrunner. For fans of Rebecca Yarros’ smash-hit fantasy romance series The Empyrean, this is a significant change that could shape the tone and direction of the entire production. Averill’s résumé includes genre-defining work – she served as co-showrunner for Locke & Key, was an executive producer on Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House, and more recently worked on Netflix’s Wednesday (Season 2). 
Her style is known for mixing dark atmospherics with strong character arcs, a balance that seems well-suited to the dragon-rider drama of Basgiath War College.
The series hasn’t had a smooth ride. Originally attached since 2024, Moira Walley-Beckett stepped away from the project in July 2025, creating uncertainty among fans. Development first began in October 2023, with Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society securing rights not just for Fourth Wing, but for the entire saga. That investment signals Amazon’s confidence in Yarros’ universe, which has already sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
The television narrative will center on Violet Sorrengail, the frail but determined heroine who enrolls at the deadly Basgiath War College. There, students endure merciless training and high-stakes competitions in hopes of bonding with a dragon. Violet not only has to survive but must also navigate the lethal presence of Xaden Riorson, the enigmatic and most dangerous cadet at the college. With Averill’s background, fans can expect a sharp focus on the emotional intensity between characters, layered with the relentless tension of survival.
The success of Yarros’ books has been nothing short of staggering. Fourth Wing debuted in May 2023 and immediately became a cultural phenomenon, spending 18 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and selling 2.7 million copies in its first week alone. The sequel Iron Flame followed in November 2023, and the third installment, Onyx Storm, arrived in January 2025. Yarros has confirmed that two more volumes are planned, though she has not yet started writing the fourth book, choosing instead to focus on another series for the time being.
What makes this adaptation especially intriguing is the timing. With the books still incomplete, Amazon is betting on a franchise that could expand alongside its source material, much like Game of Thrones. The challenge for Averill will be maintaining fidelity to Yarros’ storytelling while giving television audiences the layered, emotionally gripping series they expect. If she pulls it off, Fourth Wing could become one of Amazon’s flagship fantasy properties, sitting alongside The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in terms of cultural reach.
Whether you’re drawn by the dragons, the romantic tension, or the sheer spectacle of a brutal war college, all eyes are now on Meredith Averill as she takes command of Fourth Wing. The stakes are high – but then again, that’s exactly the spirit of Yarros’ world.
1 comment
cant wait to see dragons on screen finally🔥🔥 book was crazy